Münster

Not long ago the EU announced its finalists for the European Green Capital. Not only did Munster make the top eight, in the company of such major metropolises as Stockholm and Hamburg, but it won “best small city” outright. This is a fitting honor for a city that had to completely rebuild itself after the war. And what they constructed was both a testament to the past (here one finds a carbon copy of the city’s medieval center) and a nod to the future, where sustainability and renewable energy are now paramount. If it were a hotel Munster would be a cathedral that runs on solar power.

This forward-thinking city also has an abundance of students who keep the bar and cafe scene hopping. In fact, bicycles are as likely as cars to be parked in front of the research centers or hotels Munster is known for.